News by “Sana Ullah”
In the aftermath of Pakistan’s 79-run defeat against Australia in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, team director Mohammad Hafeez expressed his frustration with what he deemed as inconsistent umpiring decisions and technological challenges. Addressing the media, Hafeez did not mince words as he criticized the umpires’ role in his team’s loss, particularly highlighting the controversial dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan.
Hafeez acknowledged the team’s own mistakes but emphasized the impact of what he described as “inconsistent umpiring” and the “technology curse” on the match’s outcome. He lamented the crucial timing of the decisions, citing the dismissal of Rizwan as a turning point in the game.
The controversy unfolded when Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, appealed for a caught behind in the 61st over of Pakistan’s second innings. Initially given not out, Cummins opted for a review, suspecting that Rizwan had gloved the ball. The third umpire ultimately overturned the decision based on a spike detected as the ball passed the wrist band, despite the absence of a mark on the hotspot.
Hafeez also addressed the struggles of star player Babar Azam in red-ball cricket, expressing confidence in his ability to bounce back. Despite Babar’s failure to score a half-century in the entire year of 2023, Hafeez praised his performance in the nets and looked forward to him playing a match-winning innings for Pakistan in the upcoming Sydney Test.
